Roommate arrested in Meyer slaying

Vic Vela

Posted
7/23/13

Authorities have arrested the former roommate of a Wheat Ridge woman whose remains were recently found in Park County, five months after her disappearance.

Melissa Miller, 54, was arrested at Wheat Ridge police headquarters on the afternoon of July 15 and was later transported to Park County, where she is being held for the alleged murder of Leann “Annie” Meyer, 51.

Miller, of Lakewood, made her first court appearance the day after her arrest, where a Park County judge set the suspect’s bond at $50,000, cash-only.

At this point, those who are close to the case are staying mum as to what led to Meyer’s death or what Miller’s alleged motive was. A judge granted prosecutors’ request to seal court documents that typically provide details about the investigation.

“At this point, it’s an ongoing and active investigation,” said District Attorney Thom LeDoux of the 11th Judicial District, which includes Park County. “We don’t seal documents as a matter of routine, but we want to be able to review law enforcement reports.”

Like LeDoux, Wheat Ridge police spokesman John Romero would not go into details about his knowledge of the case, only saying that, “A lot of things happened since we found her remains.”

Romero said that LeDoux’s office, and not Wheat Ridge police, will be handling inquiries about the case, going forward. The fact that the case will be prosecuted in Park County indicates that the crime was committed there.

For now, Miller is being held on a second-degree murder charge, which carries with it a penalty range of between 16 and 48 years in prison.

However, charges could change after prosecutors have had a chance to do their own investigation, LeDoux said.

Miller used to live with Meyer and had been on authorities’ radar as a “person of interest” in the case, prior to her arrest.

Wheat Ridge police Cmdr. Dave Pickett told reporters last week that investigators’ ability to question Miller about her role in the case was limited because she had invoked her constitutional right against self-incrimination.

Meyer’s remains were found on private property near Bailey on July 4, a finding that Wheat Ridge police Cmdr. Dave Pickett acknowledged last week was the “first significant lead in this case.”

Meyer spoke with her mother on the phone on Feb. 10, but that was the last time she had contact with any of her friends or family.

Two of her vehicles were found the next month: Her 1995 silver Toyota pickup in a parking lot near West 72nd Avenue and Sheridan Boulevard on March 13, and, a few days later, a 2009 RAV4, discovered in Wheat Ridge.